Faded Flowers
by Gwenethiel
Summary: On that fateful halloween night, as Lily awaits James' return, she remembers their days at Hogwarts. That is until a certain wizard arrives at the door... *REVISED*
1. Chapter One: Memories

Disclaimer: don't own anything except the plot and Nicole. Everything else is J.K. Rowling's.   
Author's Note:It's a bit short but future chapters _will_ be longer. Promise. r/r please. I changed it a little bit after I saw- it doesn't matter what I saw but tell me what u think, original or this one?   


* * *

  
  


Faded Flowers   
  
Chapter One: Memories

  
  
On a late October evening, as the sky changed from clear blue to rose, a coal black owl swept into a living room far below the endless sky.   
  
A pretty red-headed woman of about twenty seemed nonchalant as the bird dropped a piece of parchment onto the coffee table adjacent to her.   
  
Shifting the sleeping babe in her arms, she opened the letter.   
  


_Dear Lily and James,   
How are you guys? Little Harry is doing well I trust? I'm going to go check on Peter tonight. Have a happy Halloween!   
Sirius   
P.S. It's a full moon._

  
  
Lily stood and glanced out the wide window. It was indeed a full moon. "Poor Remus," she mumbled.   
  
As she gazed into the star speckled sky, her thoughts turned to that afternoon when the fateful news had come.   
  
  
  
_~*~Flashback~*~   
That afternoon_   
  
Lily waited impatiently for that doctor to return. Lately, she had been suffering from severe illnesses. Concerned, she had gone to the doctor.   
  
"Lily-"   
  
"What is it Doctor Brown?" Lily inquired, trying to remain calm.   
  
Dr. Brown sighed. "Mrs. Potter, it's leukemia. You have anywhere from two months to a year to live."   
  
Lily stared wide eyed, unbelieving. "But isn't there anything you could do?"   
  
"I'm sorry, there is no cure. Magical or Muggle."   
  
  
  
_~*~End Flashback~*~_   
  
Sighing, she looked back at the grandfather clock near the door.   
  
"Nine o'clock...where is your father Harry?" she asked the infant.   
  
To her surprise, he answered. "Dada!"   
  
_'How am I going to tell him?'_   
  
Turning back to the comfortable sofa, she began to think.   
  
How her world changed during the past several months!   
  
Peter...could they really trust him?   
  
He was always insecure, more of a follower than a leader.   
  
What of he betrayed them?   
  
Lily shook her head.   
  
She was being paranoid.   
  
Peter was there friend after all, wasn't he?   
  
  
  
Impatient, she stood and walked to the door, glancing out, looking for any sign of her dear husband.   
  
"James!" she whispered exasperated.   
  
'How like him,' she thought. 'Always running around late at night while I wait up for him!'   
  
She smiled as the memories flooded back to her...   
  
  
  
_~*~Flashback~*~_   
~Hogwarts, three years ago~   
  
Lily walked, giggling with her friends on her way to Charms class.   
  
"He seriously asked you that?" she gasped out. "Yup!"   
  
The girls broke into a fit of giggles again, just as a boy their age walked up behind them.   
  
A loud explosion ensued.   
  
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!"   
  
The boy laughed in return with his fellow pranksters, Remus, Peter and Sirius.   
  
Lily whirled around. "James Potter! How I dare you!!" she shrieked, her brilliant green eyes flashing in anger.   
  
"Well, I just had to hold it up and..."   
  
Lily didn't want to here it.   
  
She whipped out her wand and pointed it between James' eyes.   
  
"What were you saying?" she said threateningly.   
  
James' eyes flicked toward his friends. "I-I'm s-so so-so-sorry L-lily, m-miss, ma'am."   
  
Calming, Lily lowered her wand and began to turn away.   
  
To slow for James.   
  
He had his wand out and against her neck faster then the blink of an eye.   
  
He grinned. "Miss."   
  
  
  
"No fighting! No fighting please!" a voice could be heard yelling through the commotion.   
  
"James. Please." Professor McGonagall requested when she arrived at the scene.   
  
He lowered his wand and glared at Lily as McGonagall said, "Detention both of you. I thought you two would know better than fighting in the halls. Now off to class!"   
  
  
  
Later that day, Lily and James could be heard arguing once more in the Gryffindor.   
  
"Will you two ever shut up?" Sirius asked loudly, trying to be heard over their immature quarreling.   
  
They both turned to him and said in unison, "NO!"   
  
They continued their heated debating.   
  
"Well, you two will have to shut up for detention, now won't you?" He yelled.   
  
They both stopped arguing, looked at Sirius, then back at each other.   
  
"We wouldn't be in this if _you_ hadn't taken your wand out!"   
  
"I wouldn't have had to if _you_ hadn't set off that firework!"   
  
  
  
Sirius sighed and continued his chess gamed with Remus.   
  
"Queen to D-4!" he commanded, as if the conversation had never taken place.   
  
"Bad move Padfoot. Gotcha Queen!" he said happily as his bishop knocked the queen over.   
  
  
  
_~*~End Flashback~*~_   
  
Unknown to Lily, Peter sat, watching the whole scene silently. {A/N: this is still when they were in Hogwarts...Lily doesn't know this part...}   
  
He glanced up at Lily. She was so pretty, with her fiery red hair and emerald green eyes.   
  
Too bad she didn't notice him.   
  
Too bad she only noticed Sirius.   
  
His friend, Nicole had told him that.   
  
Nicole, who had been friends with Peter since they were in diapers was a girl in Lily's dormitory with dark brown hair and glasses.   
  
His thoughts turned back to James and Lily as they finally quieted down to go change their robes.   
  
James was everything he was not.   
  
Handsome. Witty. Talented. Quidditch star. The dream of every girl.   
  
His jealousy heightened as he watched Lily and James leave for detention.   
  
He knew they would end up together.   
  
He knew how James really felt about Lily.   
  
And he hated him for that.   


* * *

Thanks for reading -Anonymously Yours 


	2. Chapter Two:Detention Discussion

Disclaimer: don't own anything   


* * *

  
  


Faded Flowers   
  
  
  
Chapter Two: Detention Discussion

  
  
  
  
The sky, now a deep velvet blue was sprinkled with twinkling stars.   
  
'Where is James?" Lily wondered aloud. She walked, still holding Harry toward the large trophy case by the fireplace.   
  
Inside were the many medals she and James had one. As she gazed upon them, the memories came back to her...   
  
_~*~Flashback~*~_  
  
Down in the Entrance Hall, James and Lily continued their argument.   
  
"I am the most arrogant? Ha! Look who's talking. Miss strutting through the halls in her mini skirts-I got top of the class again!" James said heatedly.   
  
"Strutting? Hardly! What about you and your Mr. I'm so handsome-Quidditch star who can toy with any girls heart swagger?" Lily shot back.   
  
"That would be enough!" I voice said from behind them.   
  
They both turned. "Professor Dumbledore! I didn't know you were there!" Lily exclaimed apologetically.   
  
"Professor McGonagall could not be here. I will bring you to your detention."   
  
The two seventh-years followed silently glaring at each other.   
  
"Which one of you would like to tell me why you are here?" Dumbledore inquired, breaking the tense silence.   
  
"Lily pulled her wand out at me in the halls Professor." James voiced immediately.   
  
"I only acted because James endangered the lives of the people in the halls by setting off a firecracker."   
  
"It hadn't endangered anyone's life! I don't know what you are talking about!" James said infuriated.   
  
"Enough! You two need to learn to work together." Dumbledore announced as they entered the Hogwarts trophy room.   
  
"You are to polish every trophy in this room without magic by midnight. If I return and you are not yet done, you will receive further punishment." he instructed.   
  
"That's not fair!" the two students exploded in unison.   
  
"You must learn to work together." Dumbledore repeated as he left the room.   
  
"This is all your fault!" Lily glared hatefully at James.   
  
"We've been through this already. Let's just get to work okay?" James answered tiredly.   
  
Lily shrugged and picked up one of the cloths that Dumbledore had left them.   
  
After twenty minutes of noiseless polishing, James said, "It's a full moon."   
  
"So? What's with you and your obsession with the moon anyway?"   
  
James sighed. "It's a long story."   
  
"We have a long time."   
  
"It's private too."   
  
"Oh. Sorry."   
  
James let out a coarse laugh. "So you finally apologized to me."   
  
Lily pouted at him but continued polishing.   
  
"So, how was life before?" James asked, trying to keep the conversation going.   
  
"Life before what?" Lily questioned in return.   
  
"Life before Hogwarts."   
  
"Well, I lived like any other Muggle girl. I went to school and was just about to enter St. Elizabeth Secondary School when I got my letter. My older sister, Petunia, was insanely jealous."   
  
"That's too bad. 'Cause you know, it's not bad to have a witch or wizard in a Muggle family."   
  
"That's what my parents think. They love the fact that I'm a witch but Petunia is jealous that I get a little bit more attention now. I think she might be afraid of me too."   
  
"Well you are gone most of the time. Why shouldn't you get more attention when you are home?"   
  
"Ask Petunia that. What was your life like?"   
  
"Well I come from a pretty wealthy family. I was waiting and hoping to get into Hogwarts, if I didn't it would be a disgrace to me and I would have to apply to other schools." James explained.   
  
"What other schools would you have gone too? I don't know any others in Britain. Ugh-" grunted Lily as she tried to scrub a rather peculiar brown spot off a trophy.   
  
James glanced up at her. "There isn't another one in Britain. I was gonna go to Beauxbatons Academy of Sorcery-the charm school in France and if I failed to get into that, I would go to Durmstrang School of Magic."   
  
"But of course you got into Hogwarts." Lily commented.   
  
"Naturally. My family is always a little anxious about it. Then there was the question of which house."   
  
"Gryffindor and what?" Lily asked moving to a large plaque leaning against the wall.   
  
"Ravenclaw. My mum was there. I guess I have more of ol' Godric in me. I met Sirius on the first day. We were in the same compartment. He already had all his prank materials and plans set."   
  
Lily laughed. "And Remus and Peter?"   
  
"Remus was sleeping in the compartment with us. Peter we had to rescue from a gang of Slytherin fifth-years. We set a dung bomb on them."   
  
Lily shook her head as she cleaned. "James, could you help me with this?"   
  
He walked over to her. "With what?"   
  
"Ugh-this plaque. It's so heavy!"   
  
James leaned over and helped her lift it. "Thanks so much." she said quietly.   
  
"No problem," James whispered, equally as quiet. They were soon finished polishing every trophy in the room.   
  
"You're not as bad as I thought you were." Lily whispered, laughing.   
  
James smiled and leaned toward her, touching her soft lips lightly.   
  
"Are you done yet?" Dumbledore interrupted.   
  
James pulled away from Lily. "Yes, yes sir. We are quite done." he said hurriedly and rushed out the door.   
  
Dumbledore raised a thin, white eyebrow at Lily, who ignored it and said, "I should be going Professor. Goodnight." And she too, rushed out.   
  
  
  
Up at the common room, Sirius was waiting in an overstuffed chair by the fire place when Lily and James burst in the portrait.   
  
"Quiet down you two, or you'll wake up he whole school." Sirius reprimanded, trying to be serious.   
  
Lily tried to suppress her giggles as James told Sirius what they were made to do at detention.   
  
"Well, it looks like you two had a lot of fun," Sirius said, "But I have to say, you missed a lot." Sirius looked pointedly at James.   
  
James looked blankly at Sirius. "Let's get some sleep," Sirius said and walked up to his dormitory.   
  
"Well, see you tomorrow morning Lily. Goodnight."   
  
"G'night."   
  
  
  
In the seventh-year boy's dormitory, Sirius began to reprimand James.   
  
"If you hadn't been so utterly stupid you wouldn't have had to go to detention! Remus nearly got away again! Can you not remember?"   
  
"It was my fault as much as yours!"   
  
"As far as the firecracker goes. But you didn't have to pull out your wand!"   
  
Sirius was furious. "Calm down man, it's all okay now."   
  
"Now it's okay. It wasn't so okay while we were chasing him around the grounds trying to stop him from hurting someone!"   
  
"Okay! I get it. Just let me go to sleep!"   
  
"You don't get it James," Remus spoke up from his bed. "I could have really hurt someone. I wasn't far from the school. If I had broken in..."   
  
"And all you could think about was Lily!" Sirius roared.   
  
James glanced around quickly, as if expecting her to be lurking in the shadows. "Sshh!"   
  
Still angry, Sirius went to bed. Unable to sleep, James was deep in thought.   
  
'Is there something between us? Does she feel this way?' This thought plagued his mind through the night.   
  
  
  
Early the next morning, the sky tinged gold by the rising sun, James was waiting in the common room. He had find out if there was something brewing between him and Lily.   
  
His eyes fixed on the entrance to the girls' dormitories, jumping every time he heard the slightest sound or saw someone come down the stairs.   
  
At long last, the red-head came down. "Lily!"   
  
"James! Hi! What are you doing here?"   
  
"Waiting for you."   
  
"That's sweet. Um...so, why were you waiting for me?"   
  
"I needed to talk to you about last night."   
  
"Last night?" Lily looked around nervously, much like how James had the night before. "What did that mean James?"   
  
"I think I love you Lily."   
  
"I think I love you too James."   
  
  
  
Sirius took this moment to come bounding down the stairs. "Hey James? Is this a bad time?"   
  
"Um..."he looked to Lily. She shook her head. "No."   
  
"I just wanted to say I'm sorry."   
  
"It's all cool."   
  
Peter and Remus walked in. "Can I not have a moment of peace with my girlfriend?" James demanded.   
  
"Girlfriend?" the three chorused. Lily blushed bright pink.   
  
_~*~End Flashback~*~_   
  
Lily smiled at the memories. James had explained the "Remus problem" to her and from then on left her every full moon.   
  
She glanced out the window for the hundredth time that night, looking for a sign of her husband.   
  
"Does it take that long to talk with Dumbledore?" Lily grumbled to herself.   
  
"Dada!" Harry screamed. "I don't know where dada is Harry," Lily answered absent-mindedly. "Dada!" he screamed again.   
  
At that moment, James came bursting through the door. "Dada!" "Hi Harry!" James greeted his child. "Hey Lil, he whispered kissing her.   
  
"What took you so long?"   
  
"Dumbledore had a lot to say, you know him. Lecturing and cautioning."   
  
"He is a wise man. He knows and understands things we don't."   
  
"I know. And I don't need you to lecture me too."   
  
Lily laughed. "Sirius sent this," she said handing him the note she had received earlier.   
  
James took it and read it. "It is a full moon. Poor Remus. No one's with him, you know?"   
  
"Really? That's bad."   
  
"Uh huh. Hope Wormtail's alright."   
  
"You think the Dark Lord got to him?"   
  
"I don't know. You know Peter. He was always weak. Always looking for power."   
  
"Do you regret choosing him as secret-keeper?"   
  
"No, but I'm worried about him. if anyone ever found out, they could break little Peter."   
  
"True."   
  
"James, there's something I have to te--" _Knock knock_   
  
"What was that?" Lily asked, alarmed.   


* * *

Author's Note:please r/r And thanks to Quack_quack_88 for the title. BTW, this is NOT the end. -Anonymously Yours 


	3. Chapter Three:Peter The Rat

Disclaimer: don't own anything yadda yadda yadda..   
Author's Note: Thanks to everybody who reviewed and _yes_ I know the whole Lily'James thing was fast but it was a girlfriend/boyfriend kinda thing. People use words very loosely. Basically, they did not mean _I'm gonna marry you love_. Anyway, this chapter is also kinda short (sorry again).   
  


Faded Flowers   
  
Chapter Three: Peter the Rat

  
  
Sirius flew through the cool night air, watching the stars fly by overhead as he rode his flying motorcycle.   
  
He could almost feel the velvety blue night sky against his skin. And the orb-like moon bathed him in a tawny glow.   
  
"Remus...it'll be okay," he whispered to the night. Lately, he had been thinking a lot about him. He had the strangest feeling he would never see this best friend again.   
  
'It 's a good thing I'm on my bike instead of a broom,' he thought, remembering the good old days. The wind was unusually harsh this evening. He looked down, the puffy clouds were moving almost as quickly as he was.   
  
He watched as the lights of the miniature houses went out below. Suddenly, something hit him in the head– hard.   
  
Cursing, Sirius looked up to see his coal black owl.   
  
His coal black owl without a piece of parchment attached to it's leg.   
  
Which could only imply that Lily and James had received his letter.   
  
Which could only mean that the Fidelius Charm had not worked.   
  
Or that Peter–   
  
  
  
Sirius landed with a thump in front of the lonely cabin that was Peter's house.   
  
"Peter!"   
  
No response. A chill ran down Sirius' spine as he walked cautiously toward the white painted door.   
  
There were no obvious signs of disturbance.   
  
"Peter!" he called again, more frantic.   
  
  
  
He grabbed the doorknob and bracing himself for the worse, flung open the door.   
  
Nothing. No one.   
  
"Peter!" This time with a definite note of panic.   
  
Nothing had been unsettled in the small house but something-something was wrong.   
  
On the wooden kitchen table there lay a note.   
  
Upon reading the first lines, Sirius dropped it in distress.   
  
This is what the note read:   
  
_Dear Sirius,   
  
I knew you would come to visit me tonight. How rude of me to be absent. While you are waiting, why not read a story?   
  
Once upon a time, there was a stag, a rat and a flower. The flower was beautiful and the stag handsome. The flower and the stag fell ever so deeply in love.   
  
They were oblivious to the world around them.   
  
Oblivious to the rat. The rat who loved the flower.   
  
Now as time flew by, the rat's deep love turned to swamps of hatred.   
  
The flower, his beautiful flower could not see- could not understand the desperate love.   
  
So, the rat turned to the only one he knew would protect him, would understand him.   
  
The Dark Lord.   
  
  
  
Now Sirius, is this tale beginning to seem familiar to you? Perhaps you would like to know the details of my clever decision...   
  
  
  
The Dark Lord promised the rat vengeance on the two people who had hurt him most. If only the rat would become his spy.   
  
The rat agreed, knowing this was the best way, knowing this was the only way. There were dangers of course– what would the rat do if he was found? What would become of him?   
  
Tales of tortured followers never left his mind.   
  
Time passed and the Dark Lord grew impatient with the pitiful rat. Death would have followed had not luck befallen the usually unlucky rodent.   
  
He became the Secret-Keeper. And now, with the whereabouts of the stag and flower known, the rat's day had come.   
  
And that day, Sirius, is today.   
  
  
  
Are you going to run Sirius? They all think it's you. And when Lily and James are gone, it **will** be you as far as Dumbledore is concerned.   
  
We were friends once, I know. But I do not feel regret. I know I am on the right side, the winning side. Can you say that about yourself?   
  
I laugh as I write this Sirius–Padfoot. I laugh at you and your pitiful excuse of power. I admit, I followed you for power but I need you no longer.   
  
Voldemort forever,   
Wormtail_   
  
  
  
Horrified, Sirius could only stand, rooted to the spot. His brain didn't seem to want to work; his muscles didn't seem to want to move.   
  
After what seemed like hours, Sirius found himself and hurried out the door.   
  
His head was still whirling as he hopped onto his motorcycle and ascended into the cool night air once more.   
  


* * *

_Knock knock_   
  
"James, how did he– how did he find us?" Lily asked, knowing who was at the door.   
  
"Impossible," James mumbled as if he hadn't heard his wife's pleading question.   
  
"Peter! What if he..." she trailed off, afraid of the idea formulating in her mind.   
  
"He wouldn't! He's our friend, he has been for years! Why would he do this?" James countered, trying to convince himself as well as Lily.   
  
_Knock knock_   
  
It came again, more impatient this time.   
  
"Lily, go into the kitchen– no, upstairs, go upstairs!" James screamed frantic.   
  
The door was shaking, as if an invisible hand were trying to break it down.   
  
Lily ran, panicking up the stairs with a wailing Harry. Standing brave and tall, James faced the door, ready as it burst open... 

* * *

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
A/N: I know, short but reveiw!!! -Anonymously Yours 


	4. Chapter Four:The Fall of Darkness

Disclaimer don't own, blah blah blah 

Faded Flowers   
Chapter Four: The Fall of Darkness

  
  
The door burst open with a force that knocked James to the floor. He glanced up at the tall, cloaked figure looming overhead.   
  
"Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off!" James bellowed as he jumped to his feet.   
  
Facing Voldemort, he held his head high and challenged, "If you want them, you'll have to get past me!"   
  
The Dark Lord seemingly found this very amusing and broke out in high-pitched laughter.   
  
James stood there, growing more apprehensive as Voldemort continued to laugh.   
  
Upstairs, Lily stumbled into her son's bedroom and slammed the door shut, trying futilely to obscure the chilling sound of _his_ cackle.   
  
Downstairs, a calm Voldemort pulled out his wand. "Then Mr. Potter, shall we have a duel?"   
  
Sensing his death, James debated with himself. _'Yes- No- Yes- No- Yes!'_   
  
He yanked out his wand from it's comfortable position in his pocket and faced Voldemort.   
  
Quickly glancing out the window, he caught his last sight of the world.   
  
"You have made yet another bad decision Mr. Potter. You shouldn't be dueling me. You should've been on _my_ side..."   
  
Ignoring him, James cautiously prepared himself. _'This is for the best' _   
  
The two bowed and began to walk in a slow circle, eyeing each others movements carefully.   
  
James raised his wand and yelled, "Expelliarmus! Stupify!"   
  
The spells seemed to ricochet off Voldemort's body, they did not effect him. Undaunted, James thundered another row of hexes. Again, they were useless.   
  
Voldemort smiled an icy smile. "A good attempt, Mr. Potter but you cannot stop me with childish charms!" His blood-red eyes glinted. "Avada Kadavra!"   
  
A blinding flash of sickening green light and James lay on the polished wooden floor, having breathed his last breath.   
  
Sensing the death of her husband, Lily began to look frantically for an exit from Harry's room.   
  
_'You locked yourself in here with the Dark Lord himself!' _she chided herself angrily.   
  
The clamor of Voldemort storming up the stairs accentuated Lily's fright. Harry began to sob, as frightened as his mother.   
  
The door burst open with a flash of bright light. Voldemort eyed mother and son, huddled in a corner. He pointed his wand toward Harry.   
  
The cold realization came to Lily then. Voldemort, in his quest for more power, was murdering every wizard who had a chance to break him.   
  
"Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!" she begged. _'I'm going to die anyway...'_   
  
"Stand aside, you silly girl...stand aside, now!" the Dark Lord ordered, angry at the stubbornness of the red-head.   
  
"Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead!"   
  
_'Please, I don't want to see Hary dead. I don't want him to ever find out!'_   
  
Voldemort only glared. His anger boiled and he took a menacing step forward.   
  
"Not Harry! Please...have mercy...have mercy!"   
  
Voldemort laughed. He would grant the foolish girl her wish.   
  
"Avada Kadavra!"   
  
Lily screamed, pain ripping through her body. She could not see, save the green haze that covered her eyes.   
  
At long last, she stopped, her last thought of Peter's betrayal. Her brilliant, emerald eyes were wide with pain and shock. Her secret would follow her to the grave.   
  
And Harry lay alone, bundled in his blankets. His father downstairs, his body cold. His mother, in front of him, unmoving.   
  
Brushing sweat off his face, Voldemort advanced to Harry. "Potter..." he growled.   
  
He pointed his wand, ready to take yet another innocent life.   
  
Then, out of nowhere, Peter appeared. "My Lord!" he cried.   
  
"What do you want Wormtail? I am busy!"   
  
Peter stared in shock at the woman who lay before him, dead.   
  
"You said only the boy and James!"   
  
"She refused me the babe, I had to."   
  
"No..." Peter whispered, unbelieving.   
  
"It was for the best, you rat!" the Dark Lord spat. "Why do you pity-- why do you _care_ for this mudblood?"   
  
Peter sniffled, afraid of defying his Lord, his master, his protector.   
  
"My humble apologies my Lord."   
  
"Dear Wormtail, I expect quicker obedience next time."   
  
"Yes, my Lord"   
  
"Now, would you like to watch the slaughter of the last Potter?"   
  
Peter glanced at Harry. _'His mothers eyes'_ he thought.   
  
Voldemort glared at Peter. "Surely you do not feel _pity_ for it?"   
  
"No, but he has her eyes..." Peter responded, not thinking.   
  
"His mudblood mother!" Voldemort roared.   
  
Peter snapped into his senses. "Yes, mudblood my Lord."   
  
Looking to Harry one more, Voldemort pointed his wand. "Avada Kadavra!"   
  
A flash of green light and a scream. Not the scream of the baby wrapped in blankets however.   
  
The bone-chilling scream of Voldemort mixed with the cries of baby Harry.   
  
The small house shook violently and seconds later, only a mountain of debris remained.   
  
The light faded and Peter saw his Lord laying face down. Dead.   
  
On the very night he had betrayed his once-friends.   
  
The cool night breeze whistled through his hair, reminding him that Sirius would soon be arriving.   
  


* * *

Far overhead, Sirius could not see the rat that hurried away from the wreckage that had once been the house of his best friend.   
  
"Peter!" Sirius screamed into the night.   
  
Landing heavily, Sirius began to look for the bodies of his friends and their son.   
  
Delving deeper into to the mess, he heard the crunch of someone walking.   
  
"Whose there?"   
  
A large body emerged from the shadows.   
  
"Why if it isn't young Sirius Black!" It was Hagrid.   
  
"Hullo Hagrid, how is it in there?"   
  
"Pretty bad, I could only find him." Hagrid whispered, showing Sirius the baby.   
  
"What's that on his head?"   
  
"A scar I s'pose."   
  
Sirius leaned over to get a better look at his godson. "Unco!" Harry yelled happy at seeing a familiar face.   
  
"Hullo Harry, you survived quite a blast there."   
  
Tears came to his eyes as he thought of how the blast must have come.   
  
"Now Sirius, keep strong. You know Lily an' James would want you to."   
  
"Give Harry to me, Hagrid, I'm his godfather I'll look after him."   
  
"Sorry Sirius, I can't. Dumbledore's orders. He has ter go ter his aunt an' uncle."   
  
"Hagrid! They're Muggles! And not good, kind Muggles either! Have you ever met them? They are as unkind as humanly possible!"   
  
"Again, I sorry Sirius, I got me orders."   
  
"Alright Hagrid, take him. And take my motorcycle too. I won't be needing it anymore."   
  
"A'right then. G'bye Sirius!"   
  
"Bye!" he called to the enormous retreating figure.   
  
_'What do I have now?_ _Nothing.' _   
  
He looked up to the stars and felt the wind blow. It was as if it was encouraging him to move on.   
  
"I can't!" he whispered.   
  
His thoughts were interrupted by the appearance of a stag in the wood adjacent to what was the house.   
  
"Prongs...?"   
  
As quickly as it had come, the stag was gone.   
  
_'James would want_ _you to stay strong. . .'_   
  
Holding his head up high, Sirius followed the stag into the night.   
  
Somehow, he knew he would see them again. He would see them in Harry-- son of a stag in shadows and a faded flower. 

* * *

  
  
Author's Note:This is the end, I might right a prequel though (more on the Hogwarts days). Tell me what you think and r/r please. 


End file.
